The Therapeutics of Fevers

Cantharis canth.

Allen (1879)In every bookSave

Characteristic

Pain; raw, sore, burning in every part of body, both internally and externally; with excessive weakness.

Over-sensitiveness of all parts.

Disgust for everything; drink, food, tobacco.

Drinking, even small quantities of water increases pain in the bladder.

Passage of white or pale-red tough mucus with stool, like scrapings from the intestines, with streaks of blood (Carb. ac., Colch.).

Constant desire to urinate, passing but a few drops at a time, which is mixed with blood (Sudden desire, itching in urethra, Petrol.).

Intolerable tenesmus vesicæ, before, during and after urination.

Burning, cutting pains in urethra during micturition; violent tenesmus and strangury.

Bloody, nocturnal emissions (Led., Mer., Petr.).

Sexual desire: increased, both sexes; preventing sleep; violent priapism, with excessive pain (Pic. ac.).

Skin: vesicular erysipelas; vesicles all over body which are sore and suppurating.

Erythema from exposure to sun's rays (sunburn).

Aggravation

Oil and coffee; drinking, or even sight of cold water (Lys., Stram.); after midnight and during the day.

Amelioration

Warmth; rubbing; lying down.

Type

No periodicity of fever. Many conditions or symptoms appear every seventh day. Typhoid; yellow fever.

Time

3 P. M. till 3 A. M.—long-lasting chill (Aran., 24 hours).

At all hours in afternoon, from 1 to 10 P. M.

Chill

Without thirst, in afternoon or evening, not > by external warmth or covering (Ars., Ign., Kali c., are all relieved by external heat—worse from external heat, Apis, Ipec.). General coldness of the whole body, especially the limbs. Coldness and chills as soon as she attempts to rise, or puts one limb out of bed. Shivering and chill down the spine; feeling of coldness in the vertebral column (pain all down the spine on pressure, Quinine). Shaking chill beginning in, or running up the back (Caps., Eup. purp.). Icy-coldness of hands and feet, with fearful pains in the urethra. Chill followed by thirst, without heat. Children pass urine frequently during chill.

Heat

With thirst; burning in the palms and soles; burning heat at night, which she does not feel (unbearable heat; extreme restlessness, Ars.). Burning on soles of feet, while hands are icy-cold. Burning, violent fever; great heat, with thirst, and redness all over the body. Great heat of abdomen (Apis).

Sweat

Profuse, on waking at night; when walking; from every movement (Bry., Camph.); cold on the hands and feet; on the genitalia and external pelvic region; smells like urine.

Tongue

Coated with thick, yellow fur; red at the edges. Taste lost; trembling tongue.

Disgust for everything. Canine hunger, especially for meat (see Arn.). Every paroxysm characterized by the Cantharis dysuria.

Apyrexia

Irritation of the urinary organs, difficult, frequent and painful urination. Scanty and painful emission of blackish urine; then secretion of urine increased to four-fold the amount of liquids taken, with great thirst and desire for meat (aversion to meat, Arn.). Very thirsty, but disgust for all kinds of drinks.

Heaviness of the feet, a paralytic immobility of the limbs; must lie in bed.

Hemorrhages; from nose, mouth, stomach, intestines, genital and urinary organs, especially in typhoid and yellow fever.

Analysis

The violent tenesmus, the burning, cutting pains in bladder and urethra is the red strand of the remedy in fevers as in all diseases. Chill followed by thirst without heat; the < of pain in bladder from drinking, the craving for meat and urinal odor of sweat are peculiar.